Singer and Songwriter Liz Anderson Passes Away

Songwriter and singer Liz Anderson passed last evening at St. Thomas Hospital at the age of 81.  Liz was hospitalized on Thursday, October 27th with complications from heart and lung disease. As a co-founder of the Nashville Songwriters Association International alongside husband Casey, Liz was a groundbreaking songwriter at a time when women writers were not accepted in Nashville. Liz wrote the breakthrough Merle Haggard smash “(My Friends Are Gonna Be) Strangers.” He named his band The Strangers after this Top 10 single. She also penned his first number one hit “The Fugitive.” This two-time Grammy nominee also penned numerous hits for Charley Pride, Brenda Lee, Tammy Wynette, Ernest Tubb, Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Waylon Jennings, Kitty Wells, Conway Twitty, Del Reeves, her daughter, Grammy Award Winning Lynn Anderson, and many others.

Chet Atkins signed Liz to RCA where she had string of hits produced by Felton Jarvis, who also produced label mate Elvis Presley. They included “Husband Hunting,” “Go Now, Pay Later,” and “The Game of Triangles,” a trio with Bobby Bare and Norma Jean. Liz and Lynn also had a Top 25 hit with “Mother May I” in 1968 and appeared on the Mother’s Day edition of the Lawrence Welk Show.  Liz is survived by her loving, co-writing husband of 65 years (Casey), daughter, country music icon (Lynn Anderson), 3 grandchildren (Lisa Lynn Sutton, Gray Stream and Melissa Hempel) and 2 great-grandchildren (Grace Stream and Geddings Hempel).